Re: You guys are great, can I go to the well one more time?

Costes is back in and I also put in Citron Citron. I am trading a few of my scents so I put it back in. Maybe as long as it smells good, I can get an atomizer and refresh at work. Maybe have two or three that I keep in a drawer at home and take with.

C&S 88, well, soapy and I dont do well. I loved Spanish Leather by Trumper but the soap, nah.

When I find something I like, I love it. In fact, Fumerie, I have 1.5 bell jars of that stuff

Re: 1st time to just order samples

That is a good list - I especially like Santal Noble myself - let us know what you find! I have a sample of Fougere Bengale that is on my dresser waiting for my allergies to die down so I can really evaluate the scent!

Don't be afraid of ordering from Luckyscent - they make ti very easy and very quick in my experience. Aedes website feels a bit more difficult to navigate their sample system, but they are a little bit less expensive than Luckyscent. I have not ordered from Aedes yet, though I am likely to soon!

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“… [I] recall thinking that the computer would never advance much further than this. Call me naïve, but I seemed to have underestimated the universal desire to sit in a hard plastic chair and stare at a screen until your eyes cross.” ~ David Sedaris

Re: 1st time to just order samples

Yes,, Domingo, you are right. Some Lemons are acrid on me, or smell like lemon furniture polish. Most are short lived. But many have liked this and, here is the shock, I am seriously about to rid myself of my last Creed. I want something different and wearing Creeds mostly in summer for 4 or 5 years, maybe I am tiring of them. I sold my GIT and want to list my MI. I feel like taking a flyer on some Acqua di Parma, even if it does not last long as I like. I could get an atomizer and keep the atomizer at the office to refreshen at lunch. I also am thinking that Imperial Opoponax would not be as powdery or vanilla as say Yerbamate was on me.

I am not feeling the love for Creed anymore

I sold a bottle of GIT a couple of weeks ago. I have worn Creed GIT and MI religiously in summer and spring and fall for at least 4 to 5 years. Now, I just am not feeling wowed by MI anymore. Creed used to be my go to colognes when I wanted to feel all that. Now, I wear it when it is a paperwork day in the office, or maybe I am running errands Saturday afternoon. I wear LDDM or Fumerie when I want to go wow.

I sampled Acqua di Parma Colonia and Assoluta. THe Colonia smelled better, the Assoluta lasted longer. NIce summer scents. Bahiana sounds intriguing and Imperial Opoponax smelled good and so did Feuilles de Tabac. Maybe they don't last as long but maybe that is okay. I could get small atomizers, even plastic, and put them in a coat pocket to take to work, leave in a drawer, freshen up after lunch.

By the way, how does one go about changing the title of his thread in the swap section? Or can it not be done? I want to add MI and I did in the body but not in the title

Re: You guys are great, can I go to the well one more time?

Originally Posted by finsfan

Maybe you guys can see a pattern in what I like and then that narrows the field? I have Chergui and Fumerie and love the honeyed whatever in Chergui without it being cloying and the smokiness of Fumerie. I love the dryness of LDDM by Tauer and the bright note in MI and GIT. Love the pepper in Piper, and love the tabacco (sweet, not ashtray kind) in Miller Harris Feuilles. Dont like powdery, soap, the burnt rubber in one of those Bulgaris and strong vetiver. Like Eternity and Obsession by Calvin Klein

Have you tried Gucci Envy for Men? Great for all year round and very versatile. Strong sillage & longevity with a great mix of spice & sweet.

"I exist for myself, and for those to whom my unquenchable thirst for freedom gives everything, but also for everyone, since insofar as I am able to love - I love everyone. Of noble hearts, I am the noblest - and the most generous of those that yearn to give love in return. - I am a human being, I love death and I love life."

A great learning experience - what a pleasure to learn about scents

Today, I met up with Jock With Scents, aka Barry. He offered to let me smell some of his collection. Very nice guy. I'll say that it was so neat to be able to have him describe a scent and then I could smell it and see what it was he was talking about. On a couple of them, I was able to detect the primary topnote before he would tell me. Now, from reading my posts, he was able to tell what I like and did not like and sure enough, I would smell something and it was one he said I would like. A few of my impressions:

CDG 88 8 - he had offered in the Frank post to let me smell that. Well, this was the one I really, really like. I had not considered the CDG line, as I had not seen it, or desired to read much about this. Let me say I am going to do a search on basenotes as soon as I type this out.

Eau de Italia? I dont know which one this is, but he let me try two. One was wintery and one was summery. The summery one lasted a while on my hand. Very nice. THis was one of those that you don't mind receiving it, but to spend your money on it, well, there may be a couple ahead of it.

Black Tourmaline - Beck, you were right. Smoke in a bottle. It may turn on the skin once it is on, and it felt like it would be a fall scent, but all I did was sniff it in the bottle.

SMN Acqua di Cuba - this is liquid leather. And this is the type of longevity and projection I would love. Im not a leather guy and he pegged me on this one.

Did I say I liked CDG 88 8?? LOL

Vintage Tabarome - he said it was the old man's tabacco and he was right. I had only smelled the New Tabarome locally and sorta liked it.

There were some others that may come to me. Oh, here is one. I had tried Hermes Eau d'Orange Verte in Sephora and it was nice but did not last. He had the Concentree and it lasted. If I want a fun summer cologne, say to wear on Saturday mornings kicking around, I am thinking it would be the Concentree or Acqua di Parma Colonia. I told him I might want both, but I am thinking one or the other. I do want to get some Imperial Opopponax for fall though

Barry, I can't thank you enough. Having read descriptions of some of them and then having them before me, it is so much easy to place a description in my mind that way. We also both have Tauer's L'Air du Desert Morocain as a great must-have scent, and CHergui as well.

Re: A great learning experience - what a pleasure to learn about scents

Mike, Play? Hell, I wanna go shopping!!!!!!!

IT was Eau d'Italie that he let me try two of them. I had to go read up on rose scents and the Eau d'Italie Paestum Rose sounds so interesting. Czech & Speake #88 would be soapy. Id love for the Acqua di Parma Colonia to last longer, but who knows. It is either that or the Eau D'Orange Verte Concentree for summer, though I did order a tester of Calypso Tangerine Homme. I am thinking one of those, and the Imperial Oppoponax, and then maybe a special fragrance. I hope Beautyhabit had the Bahiana sample I asked for, and I did get Santal Noble, and the Calypso , and the Fougere Bengale , and MIller Harris Feuilles de Tabac (I thought this was a safe choice but that Comme des Garcons 8 88, while expensive, is very nice)

I smelled one that was whiskey, the name escapes me. It was a Montale. He had another one and that aoud note, I just cant get warmed up to it. I did tell Barry that if I have to warm up to a cologne, 90% of the time, Id never like it. If I like it on first application, 90% of the time, Ill love it. I felt that way with Chergui, Fumerie and Tauer LDDM. I did not feel that way about the Creeds I had, and, well, sold them. But I did wear them for 4 years, probably because the wife liked them.

Re: A great learning experience - what a pleasure to learn about scents

Thanks finsfan. I enjoyed meeting another basenotes junkie for the first time. It was fun.

Mike, I would have to foreclose my home if you and I ever got together and went sniffing.

The frag that finsfan said had a whiskey note was Montale Patchouli Leaves, and Red Oud was the one with the oud note. The two from the Eau d'Italie line were Sienne l'Hiver and Bois d'Ombrie he sampled.

While I did point out that Vintage Tabarome was an older tobacco scent, it is personally one of my favorites (well I am old).

CDG 8 88 is an odd one, when I first received a sample, I was indifferent, but later, at Barneys, it was love instantly.

It was nice talking and sniffing with another person that understood the passion and curiousity that so many of us have for fragrance. Very cool. This just renews my wish that one day I can meet so many of you in person.

Re: A great learning experience - what a pleasure to learn about scents

Barry, thanks for clarifying that Eau d'Italia. My wife preferred the summer one of all the scents on me. She felt the CDG was powdery. In fact, I am going to alter my swap thread to include that one. When my samples arrive, ones I dont like, I'll pm you and if you want them, great. I decided I am getting three scents now: one summer one, between the Eau d'Orange Verte Concentree or the Acqua di Parma Colonia or Assoluta; the Imperial Oppoponax for fall/winter, and then something totally new, maybe the Eau d'Italia, or Bahiana if I like that smell, or something.

Re: A great learning experience - what a pleasure to learn about scents

Oh, and in Barry's top 6, I smelled them all. The Domenico scent, definitely one of the best I smelled. Also that Vetiver one was not bad. I probably should have tested that one out. Yet it would have to move me like a Lutens that I have now to get me to pay what I read that bottle cost. The one like turpentine, probably might smooth out? The D'Orsay was nice

Beautyhabit samples arrived and my impressions

1. MPG Bahiana - this is one where the descriptions say at Beautyhabit or on Makeupalley do not translate to my skin. I get the dried fruit reference but nothing stands out. Maybe if I was outside and the sweat activated it more, who knows. It stays close to the skin. I will think it is not particularly longlasting

2. Parfum D'Empire Fougere Bengale - Animal is right, but by golly, it is remarkably similar to a fragrance I wore years ago. Closer to the skin than what it appears it might be.

3. Calypso Tangerine Homme - I really liked this, not too tart, but interesting. Wonder how this one lasts compared to Eau D'Orange Verte Concentree. If they last about the same, this one is fresher and Id get this over the Hermes.

4. MPG Ambre Precieux - I can see where they say this is the epitome of Amber. A bit too sweet. I would prefer, and will get, Les Imperides Imperial Opopponax. Also close to the skin on me. Wonder how Calypso's Amber is since it is only $55 and 25% off at Beautyhabit?

5. Hotel Costes - Spicy, but nondescript to me. also, close to the skin, moreso than the TangerineHomme.

6. Feuilles de Tabac - Fresh tobacco and I remember this from last fall. Got to get a bottle of this. Projects the most of the samples I am listing

I also wore a sample of the Acqua di Parma Colonia. I liked this a lot, but alas, 30 minutes on my skin and I would have not smelt it. I sprayed it on my forearms, inner and outer, and could not detect it.

To me, I like the Miller Harris first, the Tangerine Homme second, and none of the rest.

Re: You guys are great, can I go to the well one more time?

Yeah, the Calypso Tangerine Homme lasted maybe 45 minutes. Feuilles de Tabac goes strong for about 2 hours. Acqua di Parma Assoluta lasted a good 4 hours, and the Ambre Precieux still lasts. Is it me, or are Ambre Precieux and Imperial Oppoponax very similar?

Re: Winter or summer - Imperial Opopponax

Originally Posted by finsfan

Was wondering if anyone thought this could be worn in hotter weather? It has been a while since I smelled it.

I think opopanax is too heavy for the warmer months. I have Diptyques' Eau Lente and wouldn't dare use it in the heat and humidity. Les Nereides IP is wonderful. I must add it to my collection this fall.

Assume you had $90 to spend at Beautyhabit

Well, with the sale, you have $90 to spend. Someone who has no scents (or sense) desires your opinion. You know nothing about them, other than they want something to wear to work, to last throughout the day, maybe take them to a casual dinner at 5:00 p.m. They want a list of five from you. Well, how do you respond?